Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Description of Business

v3.7.0.1
Description of Business
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Business
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“A-Mark” or the “Company”) is a full-service precious metals trading company. Its products include gold, silver, platinum and palladium for storage and delivery primarily in the form of coins, bars, wafers and grain. The Company's trading-related services include financing, consignment, logistics, hedging and various customized financial programs.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Collateral Finance Corporation (“CFC”), a licensed California Finance Lender, the Company offers loans on precious metals, rare coins and other collectibles to coin dealers, collectors and investors. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, A-Mark Trading AG (“AMTAG”), the Company promotes A-Mark bullion products throughout the European continent. Transcontinental Depository Services (“TDS”), also a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, offers worldwide storage solutions to institutions, dealers and consumers.
The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, A-M Global Logistics, LLC ("Logistics"), operates the Company's logistics fulfillment center based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Logistics provides our customers an array of complementary services, including packaging, shipping, handling, receiving, processing, and inventorying of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis.
The Company’s majority-owned affiliate, AM&ST Associates, LLC (“AMST”), operates the Company's minting operations in Winchester, Indiana (see SilverTowne Mint Acquisition below).
SilverTowne Mint Acquisition
On August 31, 2016, the Company formed a joint venture AMST with SilverTowne, L.P. (“SilverTowne”), an Indiana-based producer of minted silver products. The purpose of the joint venture was to acquire the entire minting operations of SilverTowne and continue to manage and grow that business using the expanded resources of the joint venture.
    In exchange for their respective membership interests in AMST, (i) SilverTowne contributed a 48.47% interest in SilverTowne's assets to AMST, valued at $3,453,750, and (ii) A-Mark contributed $3,721,250 in cash to AMST and agreed to contribute an additional $500,000, which was paid in August 2017, resulting in SilverTowne and the Company owning 45% and 55% of AMST, respectively. Of the cash contributions made at closing, $3,171,250 was used to purchase the interest in the remaining interest in SilverTowne's contributed assets (see following paragraph), $250,000 was used to purchase the land and building where AMST's minting operations is located, and $300,000 was provided for working capital.
        Simultaneously with the formation of AMST, under the Asset Purchase Agreement dated August 31, 2016, AMST purchased the remaining 51.53% interest in SilverTowne's assets for an aggregate purchase price of $3,671,250, of which $3,171,250 was paid at closing and the balance of $500,000 was represented by a promissory note, which was due and payable one year following the closing. The real estate was acquired separately from the Asset Purchase Agreement. As additional consideration for the acquired assets (the tangible plant assets and identifiable intangible assets), AMST agreed to pay SilverTowne earn-out payments over three years up to $1.0 million each year based on the achievement of specified performance and production thresholds. The total fair value of the assets contributed (by SilverTowne and A-Mark) and acquired by AMST was $7,675,000 before contingent future earn-out payments.
The purchase price (consisting of: $3,453,750 of assets contributed by SilverTowne, $3,721,250 of cash and agreement to contribute an additional $500,000 in cash on August 2017 by the Company, and $1,523,000 contingent earn-out obligation of AMST) has been allocated to the total assets purchased based on their fair value on the date of acquisition as follows (shown in thousands):
Cash
 
$
300

Plant, property and equipment (tangible assets):
 
 
Plant equipment
 
1,802

Building
 
299

Land
 
36

Intangibles assets (identifiable):
 
 
     Trade name
 
1,800

     Existing customer relationships
 
700

Goodwill:
 
 
Excess of cost over fair value of assets acquired
 
2,738

 
 
7,675

Goodwill:
 
 
Contingent earn-out consideration
 
1,523

 
 
$
9,198


The estimates of the fair value of the contingent consideration, and the allocation of the tangible and identifiable intangible assets requires extensive use of accounting estimates and management judgment. The fair values assigned to the assets acquired are based on estimates and assumptions from data currently available.
The Company initially measured the fair value of the contingent future earn-out payments based on the weighted average probability of anticipated outcomes, and estimated the potential consideration to be $1,523,000. As of June 30, 2017 the balance of contingent earn-out liability was $1,325,000 (see Note 2).
At the closing, AMST entered into (a) an exclusive distribution agreement with A-Mark with respect to the silver products produced by the AMST that sets weekly minimum order quantities by A-Mark and (b) a supply agreement with Asahi Refining USA, Inc. ("Asahi") to provide all refined silver products needed by AMST in the conduct of its business, and grant Asahi the option to purchase a 10% membership interest in AMST through 2019.
Spinoff from Spectrum Group International, Inc.
On March 14, 2014, the Company's former parent, Spectrum Group International, Inc. ("SGI" or the "Former Parent"), effected a spinoff (the "spinoff" or the "Distribution") of the Company from SGI. As a result of the Distribution, the Company became a publicly traded company independent from SGI. On March 17, 2014, A-Mark’s shares of common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "AMRK."